Rosemary has just started at college, and she’s decided not to tell anyone a thing about her family. Rosemary is now an only child, but she used to have a sister the same age as her, and an older brother. Both are now gone – vanished from her life. There’s something unique about Rosemary’s sister, […]
Focus Magazines
The local magazines for Abergavenny, Crickhowell, Brecon & Talgarth – Events, News and Advertising
Category Archives: Book Reviews
Book Review: The Burning by M.R.Hall
A family tragedy. A buried secret. What lies hidden in the flames? A dense, bitterly cold fog has settled over the Wye Valley when Bristol Coroner Jenny Cooper is called to the scene of a dreadful tragedy: in the village of Blackstone Ley, a house has burned to the ground with three members of a […]
Great British Sweets: And How To Make Them at Home by Adele Nozedar
This month, we invite local writer, Adele Nozedar to tell us about her newest book Some of you might know me for The Hedgerow Handbook, which is about the commonest wild plants and what they do. So you might think a book about sweets is a bit of a stretch? Not so! Take many of […]
Book Review: The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Inspired by a real doll house, built by the 17th century noblewoman Petronella Oortman and designed to reflect her own life, Jessie Burton has taken the idea and run with it to create a wonderfully atmospheric novel about a fictional heroine and her own doll house. The original can be seen in the Rijksmuseum in […]
Holiday Reads
Beach, plane, poolside, campsite – wherever your holiday travels take you, you’ll need a good book to get stuck into. Emma from Bookish in Crickhowell gives us her top picks for a good holiday read. The Great and Calamitous Tale of Johan Thoms By Ian Thornton The riveting story of a student whose life changes […]
Book Review: The Song of The Golden Hare
Emma from Bookish in Crickhowell gives us this month’s recommendation The Song of The Golden Hare Jackie Morris The boy knows his family is special; for centuries they have been guardians of the beautiful, magical Golden Hares, keeping them safe and secret from the rest of the world. So the boy and his sister watch […]
Book Review: Americanah
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s latest novel is a real treat. Ifemelu and Obinze are young Nigerian lovers. Both have dreams for a future away from Nigeria. Obinze has always been obsessed with everything American and this is where he is determined to go for his education and work. But he fails to get the desired US […]
Book Review: Life After Life
Emma from Bookish in Crickhowell gives us this month’s recommendation By Kate Atkinson £7.99 Black Swan A seemingly small event can change the direction of a life completely: a chance encounter with a stranger who harms you or a conversation that detains you which means you miss bumping into the person, a meeting with the […]
Book Review : The Cuckoo’s Calling
Robert Galbraith Sphere, £7.99 When a troubled model falls to her death from a snow-covered Mayfair balcony, it is assumed that she has committed suicide. However, her brother has his doubts, and calls in private investigator Cormoran Strike to look into the case. Strike is a war veteran – wounded both physically and psychologically – […]
Children’s Books
Emma from Bookish in Crickhowell gives us her top picks for children & teens Picture Books Hattie Peck Emma Levey Join Hattie Peck on an adventure to find all of the lost eggs in the world. The perfect picture book, with a wonderful story and beautiful illustrations. Penguin in Peril Helen Hancocks With […]
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